Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-10-14
CHAPTER xrr-Tmr SETTER QUEENS

CHAPTER NlL-TIE sI5TEE QUEENS.
The biz rowing boat proceeded ON upthe
cutting that ran ahmos, to- the foot OF the
vast stairway. and then halted at a flight
of steps lea,snE to the landing place Here
the old gentleman dncmharl>rd. and in
invited us to do likewise, which, hayiuguO
alternative aud being nearly starved, we
did without hesitation taking our rifles
with MS. however. As each of lis landed
our guide again laid his fingers on his lips
In Salutatiuu and bowed deeply ut the
same time urd ring back the crowds who
had assembled to- .gaLr uN rs. The last to
teaNc tHa Cauuc WAS the girl we had picked
out of the water, for whom her companion
was waiting. BEFORE she went away, she
kissed my hand, | suppose MS token of
gratitude for having saved her from the
fury of the hippopotamus; and it seemed
TO me that she had by this time quite got
over any fear she may have had of us,
and was hy no means anxious to return in
such hurry to her lawful owner. At
any rate, she was going tel kiss Goods hand
rs well rs mine, when the Young man in
tcrfCred and led her Off As soon rs we
were on shore, number of the men who
had rowed the biz boat took possession of
uUr few goods and ChattclS. and started
with them up Che splendid staircase. our
guide indicating To us by means of motions
that the things were perfectly safe. This
done. he turned To the right and led the
way to n small house, which was, as af-
terward discovered, an inn. Entering
straight into good sized room, we saw
that wooden table was already furnished
with food, presumably in preparation for
us Here our guide motioncd us to be
seated on n bench that ran the length of
the table. We did not require n second
invitation, but at once fell to ravenouslv
ON the Viands before us, which were served
ON wooden pla-tcrS. and consisted of cold
goat flesh, wrapped up in some kind OF
leaf that gave il delicious flavor. green
vegetables resembling lettuCeS, and brown
bread. Twenty minutes after we sat down
at that hospitahic board, we rose from it
feeling like new men. After all that we
had gone through, we needed two things
food and rest. and the food of itself was n
great blessing to ia. Two girls OF the
same charming cast Of face as the first
whom we had seen waited on us while we
ate and very nicely they did it. They
were also dressed in the same fashion:
namely, i'll a white linen petticoat csming
Ia the knees. and with the toga-like gar
meut of brown cloth, leaving bare the
right arm aud breast. | afterwarl found
out that this WAS the national dress. and
regulated 10y an iron custom, though of
course subject To variations. Thus. if the
petticoat was pure white, it Signitied that
the wearer was unmarried; il white, with
straight purple stripe round the edge.
that she was married and a first and legal
wife; If with wavy purple stripe that she
was second or other wife; if with a black
stripe, that she was a widow. In the same
way the toga, or KAT" as they call it, was
of different shades Of color. from pure
white TO the deepest brown, according TO
the rank of the wearer, and embroidered
at the end in various ways. This also ap-
plies TO the shirts" or tunicS worn 10y the
men. which varied in material and color;
but the kits were always the same rNcept
rs regards quality. One thing. however,
every man and woman in the country wore
rs the national insignia; and that was the
thick band of gold round the right arm
above the elbow and the left leg above the
knee. Pee pie OF high rank also wore a
torque of gold round The neck. and OBJ
served that our guide had one on.
80 soon rs we had finished our meal. our
venerable conductor, who had been stand
ing all the while, regarding Us with in
quiring eyes and our guns with something
rs like fear a. his pride would allow him
10 show. bowed toward Good. whom he
evidently took for the leader OF the party
ON account of the spleador of his apparel,
aGG once more led the way through the
dolf and to the foot of the great staircase.
Here we paused for a moment To admire
two colossal lions, each hewn from sin
gle block OF pure black marble. and stand
ing rampant on the examinations of the
wide balustrades of the staircase. These